Stolen vehicle pursuit ends with border crash

LA MESA  Police pursued a stolen vehicle from La Mesa to the international border Friday night, where it crashed and the driver was arrested.

A La Mesa police officer saw the vehicle, reported stolen in Las Vegas, about 8:50 p.m. as it headed onto southbound state Route 125 from Grossmont Boulevard in La Mesa, police Sgt. Katherine Lynch said in a news release.

La Mesa police officers followed it onto westbound state Route 94, southbound Interstate 15, and then south Interstate 5.

A chase pursued after officers tried to stop the driver on I-5 in National City, with assistance of a National City police canine unit.

The pursuit was stopped at Camino de la Plaza as the vehicle neared the border, where it crashed into a barrier on the side of the road.

The driver, identified as Steven Fernandez, 20, was taken into custody. San Diego police, sheriff’s deputies and Border Patrol agents assisted.

Fernandez was booked into county jail on counts including vehicle theft, possession of a stolen vehicle, felony evading and a felony warrant, the sergeant said. The nature of the warrant was not disclosed.